the devil in disguise
by chasingafterstarlight
Summary: so why is she falling for him? DracoAstoria, for Drishti's Song of the Day Challenge.


**the devil in disguise**

_DracoAstoria_

You better take it from me, that boy is like a disease  
You're running, you're trying, you're trying to hide  
And you're wondering why you can't get free  
He's like a curse, he's like a drug  
You get addicted to his love

**Cowboy Casanova, **_Carrie Underwood_

**Prompts: **cat, Diagon Alley, laugh

They meet for the first time in DiagonAlley. She's a fifth year and he's a sixth. But the first time she sees him, she feels like going up and wiping that smug smile off of his face.

Grinning, he struts over to her, like some-big time playboy. The other Slytherin fifth-year girls that had been previously fawning over him watch in awe as he bends down and kisses her hand. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, my dear. My name is Draco Malfoy. And yours?"

"Astoria Greengrass," She tells him, blue eyes flashing. "And I'm not so sure if I'm pleased to meet you."

"Ah, you must be the famous little sister of Daphne Greengrass," Draco nods. "I've heard so much about you. About how you're too nice to others to be a Slytherin, but she supposes that you're so evil to people you _don't _likethat you make up for it."

Frowning, she tells him, "Well, better change your attitude, cause I'm not liking the way you act, either. First time I saw you- a couple of seconds ago- I had you pegged for a notorious player, am I right?"

Smirking, he steps just a bit closer to hers. His skin is brushing hers just a little bit, so that the warmth of his body is transferred to hers. She wonders why her heart is beating so fast. Confused, she takes a step backward. Finally, he speaks, "And I had you pegged for a beautiful girl. Suppose I was right, wasn't I?"

"I don't _do_ players," She replies icily. "So you can just back off, right now."

Smiling slightly, he informs her, "I don't want to."

Her blue eyes flash again. "I'm telling you, Malfoy-"

"I can feel your heart beat," he informed her, taking a hold of her wrist as if to prove his point. "And when I do this," he moved a little closer to her, "your heart beats faster."

"Thanks for the lessons in hormones, Malfoy," She tells him, frowning. "I'll be sure to avoid you at school now. Good bye!"

"Bye, Astoria," He yells behind her, and she tries to pretend that she doesn't like the way his mouth twists her name.

She's the only Slytherin girl that hasn't fallen for Draco Malfoy, and she plans for it to stay that way.

.

"You do like Draco Malfoy!" One of her friends accuses her, smiling evilly, as if she knows. As if she could_ ever _know.

Frowning, Astoria tells her, "Are you insane? _Draco Malfoy?_"

"No, I'm not insane," Mandy protests, a small smile creeping up her face. "Come on, Astoria, I'm a _Slytherin_. I'm not afraid to use force. Just tell me, already."

"I do not fancy Draco Malfoy," Astoria retorted, brushing her brown hair out of her eyes. She couldn't help but laugh at their assumptions.

"You're laughing, Astoria," Mandy pointed out. "You' re a terrible liar, y'know."

"No, I'm not," Astoria tells her defensively. She's always been brought up to defend her honour- which means that now, she _can't_ admit her flaws. It makes her a bit like Draco Malfoy, arrogant, but she doesn't want to _be _like him. _Why was she even thinking about him anyway him?_

"You're thinking about him?" Mandy asks, eyes wide.

_Oops, she had said it out loud. _Quickly, she retraces her steps. "I mean, thinking about how horrible he is."

"Sure, you are," Mandy rolls her eyes at her friend. "Astoria, you're a terrible liar." With a flip of her blonde hair, Mandy leaves, muttering something along the lines of, "don't get how you're even in Slytherin."

Sighing, Astoria falls back among the pillows. She _had_ laughed- maybe she did like Draco. No, that's impossible. She's a strong Greengrass, and she's going to make a name for herself by being the first Slytherin girl not to fall for Draco Malfoy.

She's been taught not to show weakness. So she doesn't, especially not now.

…

One of the many things people don't know about Astoria Greengrass is that she's an unregistered Animagus. She doesn't tell the Ministry- _why do they need to know, anyway? _Another of her_ wonderful _flaws is that she holds no regard for authority whatsoever. Which often gets her in trouble, terrific.

Walking outside, she slowly transforms into her Animagus, a slick white cat. It reminds her of Professor McGonagall, and she's not even going to _go_ there. What would her parents do if they found out their daughter was a Animagus? And worse yet, her form was nearly the same as the head of Gryffindor?

Quietly, she transforms back into her normal self. Then she hears a noise behind her. Terrified, she spins around to look into dark grey eyes.

"What in the name of Merlin are you doing here?" Astoria growls, grey eyes flashing.

"I was taking a walk around, Greengrass," Draco drawls, looking amused. "Have you told anyone that you're an Animagus?"

To her intense surprise, he doesn't look shocked, surprised, angry, or condemning like she'd expected. He just looks- _amused._ Haughtily, she replies, "No, I haven't. And I don't plan on it, so don't go telling anyone."

"I wasn't planning on it," He replies, still staring at her. "So, you're a cat, then? Sort of like McGonagall. Are you sure you weren't sorted into the wrong house?"

"Shut up, Malfoy," She scowls, crossing her arms tightly across her chest.

"I was just poking fun, Greengrass," He answers, smiling just a bit. "Anyway, you've got to be a very powerful wizard to be an Animagus."

"Actually," Astoria informs him indifferently, "my parents thought I was a Squib."

"A Squib?" Draco looks taken aback. Shaking his head, he mutters, "Well… you're obviously not one."

"It's about the only thing I'm good at," Astoria shrugs. "I'm no good in any Wizarding Subject."

There's a silence for a few moments. Finally, Draco breaks it. "So, I hear you fancy me, eh?"

"Do you have to make everything about you?" Astoria laughs.

"Yes," Draco mumbles. "But anyway, what does that mean?"

"It means that my friends are insane," Astoria informs him. Robes swishing behind her, she turns and walks off towards the Slytherin common room.

But if she doesn't like him _that way_, then why does she feel so ecstatic?

Oh, _Merlin,_ she's gone and let herself fall for him too.

..

It's after graduation, and she's walking around Diagon Alley once again, perusing through the shops. At the end of a row of shops, she sees a familiar blonde-haired boy.

"Draco," She breathes. Walking up to him, she says, "Hello, Malfoy."

Turning to his head to the side, Draco grins. "Greengrass! Long time, no see."

"You too," She nods. "How are you…holding up?"

"Rather well, I'd believe, for someone of my status," Draco grimaces. "Would you like to head over for some tea and, y'know, catch up?"

"Why not?" Astoria responds. Because she's grown up, and realised that she doesn't have to be strong _all of the time_.

**But Draco Malfoy is still the devil in disguise, isn't he**?

Too bad she doesn't care that much anymore.

_A/N:_ _Well, there's my first DracoAstoria, and my first time writing Draco. I think that he was kind of OOC, so sorry for that. This is why I prefer writing NextGen and Astoria- you can make them however you like. This was for Drishti's Song of the Day challenge!_


End file.
